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There really are no medications available that are specifically manufactured to increase the supply of breast milk, but there are prescription drugs designed for other conditions that are used for that purpose. How They Work These medications cause an increase in the level of prolactin, the hormone responsible for milk production, so they have the side effect of making breast milk. Under the direct supervision and monitoring of a doctor, these medications have been prescribed to help create, re-establish or increase the supply of breast milk for nursing mothers....

What Is a Stroke? A stroke, also known as a brain attack, occurs when a blood clot blocks the blood flow to the brain, or when a blood vessel in the brain bursts. The lack of blood flow to the brain means the brain doesn’t get the nutrients and oxygen it needs, which can cause lasting brain damage or long-term disability. Mental Health Effects of a Stroke The impact of a stroke on the brain can vary depending on which parts of the brain were affected and the type, severity, and number of strokes the person suffered....

Toddlers are known for their exuberance, curiosity, and high energy levels, so it should come as no surprise that napping helps them recharge after a busy morning or afternoon playing and exploring. Yet, despite needing the downtime to reset, many little ones resist napping with everything they’ve got. They come up with excuses like needing a drink, wanting another book, or needing a snack to get out of sleeping—anything they can think of to put off the inevitable....

Hemorrhoids are veins that have become swollen and engorged with blood (varicose veins). Many people experience them for the first time during pregnancy or the postpartum period. Postpartum hemorrhoids can range from irritating to quite painful, but the good news is that for the most part, hemorrhoids aren’t serious. Most tend to go away in a few days or weeks with attentive home treatment, such as sitz baths and over-the-counter remedies....

Air pollution can cause a litany of problems for adults and children including the progression of asthma, lung cancer, and Parkinson’s disease. A new study shows that air pollution can even lead to problems before a child is born. Key Takeaways A study shows that pregnant moms’ exposure to air pollution can impact their child academically.Pollutants can diminish the child’s inhibitory skills.Steps to avoid breathing in harmful pollutants are necessary for mothers who are expecting....

The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) is a 24-item, self-rated scale used to assess how social anxiety plays a role in your life across a variety of situations. The LSAS was developed by psychiatrist and researcher Dr. Michael R. Liebowitz. The scale might be used in research studies to determine the level of social anxiety experienced by participants, in clinical settings to assess a particular patient’s symptoms, or by people who are concerned that what they are experiencing might be the signs of an anxiety disorder....

A school psychologist is a type of psychologist that works within the educational system to help children with emotional, social, and academic issues. The goal of school psychology is to collaborate with parents, teachers, and students to promote a healthy learning environment that focuses on the needs of children. School psychology is still a relatively young profession. The National Association of School Psychology (NASP) was established in 1969. What School Psychologists Do School psychologists work with individual students and groups of students to deal with behavioral problems, academic difficulties, disabilities, and other issues....

There are a variety of reasons why relationships don’t go the distance. The main reasons why relationships fail are loss of trust, poor communication, lack of respect, a difference in priorities, and little intimacy. This article discusses why each may cause a relationship to come to an end. Loss of Trust One of the foundational feelings necessary in a good relationship is a feeling of security. If you lack emotional support or find your partner unreliable, you might lose trust....

If you’ve heard the term “self-worth,” you’re probably wondering what exactly it means and why it’s important. We often think about terms like “respect,” “love,” and “consideration” with regard to our relationships with others, such as our friends, family members, colleagues, and neighbors. However, the term “self-worth” is a gauge of how much we respect, love, and value ourselves. Self-Worth According to the American Psychological Association (APA), your self-worth is your evaluation of yourself as a capable and valuable human being deserving of consideration and respect....

In the mind of the general public, the image of twinship is based on physical similarity. Many people expect to see twins that bear a strong resemblance to each other, including their clothing selections. However, this can be a sensitive issue for parents of multiples. Should they dress their twins in similar or coordinating outfits? Or does it have a detrimental effect on their children’s’ development as individuals? Is dressing twins alike a “do” or a “don’t”?...

The use of alcohol to depress the effects of pain is as old as the fermentation process itself. Alcohol is believed to be one of the oldest and probably the most widely used drugs in the world. Have you ever watched old Westerns? Somebody needed a leg amputated? No anesthesia? No problem. Break out a bottle of whiskey and take a few swigs. Need to pull that arrow out of the guy’s chest?...

While some parents intend to become foster parents, other families sort of fall into the role when a relative can no longer live with their birth parents. Raising children in foster care looks a lot like raising biological children. Children in foster care need structure, discipline, love, and guidance like any other child. They also have after-school activities, friends, and homework. But raising children in foster care presents a few unique challenges....

A variable is something that can be changed or altered, such as a characteristic or value. Variables are generally used in psychology experiments to determine if changes to one thing result in changes to another. Variables play a critical role in the psychological research process. By systematically changing some variables in an experiment and measuring what happens as a result, researchers are able to learn more about cause-and-effect relationships. This article discusses different types of variables that are used in psychology research....

There is a saying in the 12-step programs that recovery is a process, not an event. The same can be said for Step 4: “Made a searching and fearless moral inventory of ourselves.” Whether we come through the doors of Alcoholics Anonymous or Al-Anon Family Groups chances are we bring a lifetime of “stinking thinking” with us. Frankly, it takes a while for the “fog” to begin to lift, so that we begin to see ourselves and the world around us more clearly....

Castor oil is sometimes prescribed to induce labor. The theory of labor induction with castor oil is that it acts as a stimulant to the bowels, which irritates the uterus and causes contractions. Getting labor going can help to reduce the risk of interventions such as a C-section. Taking castor oil has been found to help induce labor and ripen the cervix. It also often has unpleasant side effects, particularly the possibility of dehydration, stomach cramps, and diarrhea....

Bullying is stressful for everyone involved. But sometimes parents are either so overcome by the emotions surrounding bullying or they miss the bullying altogether. And if they’re not careful, they can actually make a bullying situation worse for their child. Here are the top six mistakes parents make when it comes to bullying in their child’s life. Missing the Warning Signs Be sure you are familiar with all the signs of bullying....

Happiness is something that people seek to find, yet what defines happiness can vary from one person to the next. When most people talk about the true meaning of happiness, they might be talking about how they feel in the present moment or referring to a more general sense of how they feel about life overall. Because happiness tends to be such a broadly defined term, psychologists and other social scientists typically use the term ‘subjective well-being’ when they talk about this emotional state....

While some online challenges contribute to a good cause (like the Ice Bucket Challenge), other social media dares serve no real purpose. And some of them, like the duct tape challenge, could be quite dangerous. Despite the risks, social media fuels the challenge. Teens dare one another to try it, and many of them share their videos in an attempt to gain a piece of viral fame. What Is the Duct Tape Challenge?...

If it’s felt to you like we’re at an inflection point with mental health, you’re not wrong. Depression rates, which were already on the rise before the pandemic, appear to be higher than ever. One estimate from the World Health Organization (WHO) puts the global increase of people diagnosed with major depressive disorder (MDD) at a more than 25% rate from 2019 to 2020—and this doesn’t even include people who reported feelings of depression but didn’t meet the full criteria for a diagnosis....

While much of the focus of the pandemic was on physical health, COVID-19 also took a serious toll on our mental health. And it’s no wonder why. Remote learning, working from home, financial distress, media stories about death tolls, lack of social interaction, and ongoing uncertainty were just a few of the major stressors people faced over the past year. But the truth is everyone’s experience has been unique. Fortunately, the tough times also taught us some important lessons about mental health....